Which Foods are High in Cholesterol?

No one should be too surprised to hear that fried foods are quite high in cholesterol, fat, and sodium. While these types of foods may be very tasty, they should not comprise a major part of anyone’s diet, especially if they are looking to avoid developing high cholesterol. A diet that is too abundant in these types of foods could be putting them at significant risk for high cholesterol, heart disease or other medical complications.

Eggs

Nutritionists will tell you that egg yolk possesses more cholesterol than any other single item of food. However, recent research has been causing some health care experts to re-evaluate their thoughts on eggs and high cholesterol. In any case, you can filter out the yolk in eggs if you want to avoid the excess cholesterol intake, so eggs can still be a vital part of a heart-healthy diet when eaten in moderation. Please remember that if you eat a lot of eggs, you’ll want to limit other foods that are high in cholesterol.

Fast Food Favorites

The fast food culture has really taken off in many places around the world. Nowadays, you can find a Mcdonalds or a Burger King in most places that you go. Their popularity has grown as a result of the convenience and low prices offered. Unfortunately, most of the food items provided at these fast food restaurants are pretty high in cholesterol. In fact, just one of the classic doubles that you can buy at Wendy’s contains about 200 mg of cholesterol. If you are going to get one of these burgers, then you may want to look for a healthier side option where possible. However, if you have hypercholesterolemia, then you’ll want to avoid these foods to help lower your LDL cholesterol levels.

Red Meats

While a lot of people are pretty big fans of steaks and other forms of red meat, these types of foods also contain plenty of cholesterol and saturated fats. Thus, most nutritionists suggest that you should only eat red meat on occasion, but certainly not too regularly. To put things in perspective, a single four-ounce steak will already account for the recommended intake of cholesterol and saturated fat for a whole day. If you are worried about high cholesterol, there are a number of leaner cuts of meat which are worth considering.

Liver

While it may not be the most popular food, there are still plenty of people that eat liver as a good source of iron in their diet. However, liver also contains a good amount of cholesterol. This organ is responsible for producing the cholesterol within the body, and most organ meats tend to have a decent level of cholesterol overall. If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, this is a food item you may need to eliminate from your diet.

Cheese

Of course cheese is another one of the items that must be included on this list of high cholesterol foods. Unfortunately, cheese is a popular addition for many types of food items, and it can certainly be very tasty. Nutritionists recommend that people with high cholesterol should try to eliminate cheese from their regular diet where possible. While cheese does provide a good source of calcium, there are other supplements that people can add in order to make up the difference from not eating cheese as often.

If you have high cholesterol (learn the symptoms of this condition) or a family medical history of this medical condition, then these are foods that you are going to have to limit or avoid in your diet in addition to using cholesterol treatments. Please be sure to discuss these dietary changes with your primary health care provider and a nutritionist.